CONCORD - Lottery ticket sales in New Hampshire for fiscal 2013 are up 16% from a year ago, the Concord Monitor reports.

Additionally, New Hampshire Lottery ticket sales recently passed the $5 billion mark for tickets sold since it began nearly half-a-century ago, in 1964.

"With last month??s record Powerball jackpot and the improvements we??ve made to our Instant ticket program, we are proud to say that lottery ticket sales continue to skyrocket - and especially did so over the holiday," said Charlie McIntyre, the lottery??s executive director.

Powerball ticket sales have spiked 53% over fiscal 2012, the lottery commission said, with November??s $587.5 million jackpot spurring sales.